I've been quilting since 2013. This blog is my personal quilting diary, that charts my progress (and occasional regression) from the start. I use it so I can look back at my past projects...and hopefully see my skills improve!

Thursday 19 February 2015

Week 7 of my 2015 FMQ Challenge

This week I decided to practice little pebbles.  I also thought I'd try out the Derwent Inktense pencils I bought a couple of weeks ago.


I tried two different methods of using them.

Method 1

FMQ the piece first, then colour in the drawing.  I wet the colour to set it using water.
Advantage: easy to do and the quilting thread takes on the colour of the pencils
Disadvantage: the colour bled - pretty badly, in places.  It even bled through the wadding and backing cotton in a couple of places.  I didn't think the colours looked as strong in the finished piece.  My guess is that some of the colour seeped into the batting, diluting the colour on the surface.

Method 2

I ironed a piece of freezer paper to the white cotton top fabric, then drew and coloured with the pencils.  I then applied textile medium with a very fine brush to the drawing.  I removed the freezer paper, and once dry, I sandwiched the top, wadding and back together and FMQ'd it.
Advantage: easy to do.  Better strength odf colour and definition.
Disadvantage:  the thread used for FMQ stands out.  I chose to go back over the threads with the pencils, but I could have used coloured threads for the FMQ.

Drawing prior to fixing colour. 
Method 1 used
Method 2 used


2 comments:

  1. Morning Sue your quilting samples are terrific I love those wee circles or bubbles, I see you are all so an artist as well; some thing I'm not good at thats why I love sewing all those pieces of fabric to make up a picture instead LOL. Cheers Glenda

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  2. The reason your pencils bled is because the medium you used is too thin. I use Jacquard's colorless extender 100 which is the consistency of face cream. It is the same as their fabric paints, but does not have pigment in it. A small jar lasts a very long time. It takes very little and you can color first then put just a dab on your brush and paint over it. I usually put a small amount out on a piece of cardboard so I don't have to leave the jar open. You will want to wash your brush out between colors.

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